Beecham's Sixth

Sir Thomas Beecham, a good if not great conductor, is a great instigator of orchestras. This week he conducted his sixth. His ready reason for the new venture: "There is no existing British orchestra of a high enough standard to maintain my reputation."

Wealthy Sir Thomas, who announced that his new Royal Philharmonic Orchestra was the highest paid in London, had lured some of Britain's best musicians. But no women. Explained he: "If the lady is not well-favored, the male instrumentalists do not wish to play near her. If she is well-favored, they can't." Sir Thomas, whose blonde young wife is both well-favored and a concert pianist, stroked his snowy tuft and quickly added: "Not that I don't think women are good musicians."

For his Croydon opening Sir Thomas cautiously programed Tchaikovsky's well-tested symphonic poem Romeo and Juliet, Rossini's rousing William Tell overture, Mozart's Symphony in C Major No. 36, Delius' Over the Hills and Far Away. Said the London Times: "The impression was of vitality rather than virtuosity."

After an eight-month season of fortnightly concerts, the new Royal will probably tour England and the Continent, eventually visit the U.S. "Sixty or 70 [U.S.] cities have asked me to bring an English orchestra over," says enthusiastic Sir Thomas.

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